Cloverfield

16: Fight the urge

The next late morning, Emily sat in the cafeteria table with Spencer, Hanna and Aria. Alison was late to arrive from her respective class. Emily had a good idea why Ali wasn't coming. And her guess had been right. Alison walked through the entrance, laughing and as radiant as ever... with Noel. He started mumbling some nasty things to Ali and Emily gagged. There was no way Emmy could have known they were nasty, but Alison had seemed extremely uncomfortable for a second. But then Ali just told him to shut up and changed the subject.

"I don't get how girls can hang out with boys like them," Emily blurted out. "Ali deserves to spend her time with someone who treats her like a princess." Her friends looked at her weirdly. "I mean, she said the same about Hanna when Ben was a jerk. Why can't she apply it to herself?"

"He's a good guy," Aria said. Of course she thought that, she had the biggest crush on him. "My doubts are in Ali. She knows I like him."

"Maybe Ali is just securing him for you." Hanna winked at her. She picked that up from Ali. Well, it seemed that she was doing a lot of things Ali did lately.

Spencer scoffed and opened her mouth, but Alison had sat down next to her, taking her by surprise.

"What's up?" Ali asked, taking food out of a paper bag.

"You and Noel," Spencer mentioned.

Alison sighed happily. "We have chemistry."

"The class?" Emily joked, not wanting to know the real answer.

"No, silly. Chemistry, as in we get along pretty well."

"Cocky and a party life lover," Spencer commented. "Just your type."

"Alike don't attract." Alison winked at Aria. Truth was, Alison hadn't gone to much parties in the summer, but she had told her friends she did.

"So you brought your own food?" Emily asked and Ali was grateful for her noticing. "Smells delicious."

"Yeah." Ali smiled. "Told you I'm a good cook."

"Can I have some?" Hanna asked. "Pleeeease?"

Alison seemed hesitant to say yes, but ended up giving a piece to her pleading friend.

"Thanks, Ali."

"By the way, Em, what was yesterday's drama about with that Maya girl?" Spencer asked and both Emily and Ali tensed.

"It's over, it's all that matters," Alison spoke for her, using a tone that left no room for more questions about it.

"I heard Em likes a boy in the swim team," Hanna joined, ignoring Ali's warning look.

"I do?" Emily questioned in a really small voice.

"Really?" Aria asked, resting her chin on her palms. "Is it true?"

"Well, that explains why one of the guys in the team greeted me when I came to school," Emily said. If someone had started a rumor of such kind, then it'd definitely get boys' attentions, wanting to know which one of them were Emmy's crush. It was smart, really, like a cover-up after yesterday's drama. But Emily hadn't started any rumor and Emily would never like a boy from the team. So... "Who could have...?"

Ali averted her eyes and hid a smile as a boy from the Sharks' swim team passed by and checked Em out.

"Can I have a word with you?"

Ali didn't have to look at Emily's eyes to know she was talking to her. Of course she was gonna scold her for creating such thing, but what was better: have people calling you a dyke or have them curious about a boy you like? "You know I had good intentions," Alison defended once they were outside.

This Ali felt so different from the one who had been wiping her tears yesterday. This is what boys like Noel brought out of amazing girls like Ali. Not their best. "Wished you had at least consulted me first," Emily answered.

"Well, you had to like at least one guy. I mean, shirtless boys... with abs."

"And ugly head gear."

"True, none of the Rosewood Day boys would pull something like that." Ali bit her lip, trying other way of reasoning. "Wait, don't tell me. Is it Ben? Is that why you were defending him after he shamed Hanna?"

"Of course not!" Emily said quickly. "He's a jerk."

"Then I just don't see who..." Ali groaned in frustration. "It's like I can't read you anymore."

"Maybe I just haven't liked anyone."

"Ever?"

"Maybe."

"Well," Ali said, giving up. "Boys are dumb, thinking someone like you would ever like them. That's all we need for what Maya said to go away."

"Thanks, I guess?"

Alison linked their arms and walked them back to the cafeteria. "You are very welcome, Fields."

Emily felt good, though not really at the same time. Ali was hiding the truth, thinking it was a lie. A lie that could destroy Emily's life. Maybe Emily wasn't such an honest person anymore.